Scholarships available from Women In Trucking Foundation

Ellen Voie

Ellen Voie (Voy-a) is an internationally recognized speaker and authority on gender diversity and inclusion for women working in non-traditional careers in transportation. She has been invited to speak to audiences in Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, France, Mexico, and Canada, in addition to being a popular speaker at conferences throughout the United States. Voie founded the Women In Trucking Association in 2007, and currently serves as the nonprofit organization’s President & CEO. The Women In Trucking Association was formed to promote the employment of women in the trucking industry, to remove obstacles that might keep them from succeeding, and to celebrate the successes of its members. Voie also currently serves on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) to provide recommendations and advice to the FMCSA on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety regulations. Voie’s background in the trucking industry began as the assistant and later Traffic Manager for a steel fabricating plant in the upper Midwest. She then worked as a dispatcher for a grain hauling carrier before becoming co-owner of a small fleet. After starting a family, she used her background to become a freelance transportation consultant to carriers in Wisconsin, licensing and permitting trucks for more than 16 years. Voie also served as the Executive Director of Trucker Buddy International, Inc., a pen pal program between professional drivers and elementary students. Voie holds a Master’s in Communication degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, where she completed her Thesis research on the complex identities of women married to professional drivers. She also hold a degree in Traffic and Transportation Management from LaSalle Extension University. Voie has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, the leading authority in association management.

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May 14, 2013

Are you an executive at a motor carrier who would like to take some classes in leadership? Maybe you’re a driver who is interested in a career as a safety professional or would like to become a technician and work on engines. If you are reading this article and have dreamed about getting your commercial driver’s license (CDL), then read on.

The Women In Trucking Association formed a separate nonprofit foundation to provide scholarships to members seeking training in one of four areas: technical, safety, leadership, or as a professional driver.

The foundation is currently accepting applications for these four $500 tuition grants that can help you fund a new career or advance you in your current job. All you need to do is visit www.womenintruckingfoundation.org and fill out an application form.

The requirements are simple; you must be a member of Women In Trucking Association, as these scholarships are only for our members. To join, visit www.womenintrucking.org and sign up now.

The scholarship will be a one-time payment to the educational facility upon completion of the program. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and a desire to further her or his career in a trucking industry related program. The scholarship will be awarded without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, or religion.

To apply, an applicant must enter her/his name and contact information, the name of the training facility, and the diploma or class designation. Then, describe your connection to the trucking industry and submit a 200-400 word essay outlining your career objectives and how the training will help you meet those goals.

The Women In Trucking Scholarship Foundation board will review the applications and contact the applicant if more information is needed or to offer the funding – You have until the end of July to apply for one of these grants, which will be awarded in August. We’ll send the check to the training facility so they can credit it to your account when you complete the course.

The foundation is a separate legal entity (a charitable organization) led by a board of directors headed by Jan Hamblin of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. Other directors include Joyce Brenny, Brenny Specialized, Inc. and Brenny Transportation, Inc., Don Hess, DLH Associates, Inc., Jason Henderson, Orchard Financial, Jeana Hysell, Safety Compliance Professionals LLC, Sonya Kivisto, Marcello & Kivisto, LLC Law Firm, Les Rozander, Trimac Transportation, Sandra Sanford, TravelCenters of America, LLC and Kreigh Spahr, Cuyahoga Community College.

In 2012 the Foundation was formed to support the mission of Women In Trucking Association, which includes the goal to encourage women to consider a career in the trucking industry and to address obstacles, such as financial, that might keep women from succeeding in the industry.

The board of directors spent the first year raising funds for the scholarship program in order to be able to give the grants to worthy recipients. Remember, the criteria are simply to be a member in good standing and to demonstrate financial need for the scholarships. Becoming a member is the easy part, and completing the application might take a little more effort, but the reward will come when you complete the desired training to move into the next level of your career.

Think about how further training can help you become a better leader, a safety professional, a technician, or a professional driver. Submit your application for a $500 training scholarship today and start exploring your next opportunity in the trucking industry.